In Marketplace Commentary

OnMilwaukee.com Recommends, July 6, 2013

Looking for something to do, eat or read this holiday weekend? Look no more! It's all here in this week's edition of OnMilwaukee.com Recommends.

Little Monsters, 2445 N. Farwell Ave. – Everyone I know is having babies. Everyone. I've become an expert in the art of baby gift-giving. And sure, Walmart and Kohl's and Target have adorable and affordable onesies and nooks, but if you're looking for something truly unique, support a great local business and visit Little Monsters on Farwell Avenue. I stopped by this store on Molly Snyder's recommendation when I was looking for a gender-neutral gift for a friend's bun in the oven, and I couldn't even choose what to pick. I ended up going with a fuzzy, cuddly duck toy and a pacifier that says "No hablo." Who doesn't love a pun-infused baby gift? – Colleen Jurkiewicz

Airport lounging – Take your own kid, rent one or borrow one if you have to, and go to the airport. I don't know exactly when it happened, but the airport is pretty cool. Good food places and the greatest used bookstore in the world. Plus, kids can watch planes. And you can watch the kids watching planes. It's a trip. Get a cone from Northpoint, put the kid at a window and watch the magic happen. Cheap and wholesome adventure is hard to find – Dave Begel

Summerfest – How could you not be going to Summerfest this weekend? There's really nothing else to do. Join me at the Briggs & Stratton stage to see K'NAAN perform. He'll make you bounce – and think. – Jim Owczarski

Crapola! – I'm rarely tempted to eat anything with the word crap in the name, but Crapola is, in its own way, an apt description of this cranberry apple granola made by a small family owned company in Ely, Minn. Pick up a bag of Crapola! at the Outpost and you'll quickly become addicted to the blend of organic grains, nuts and dried apples and cranberries that gets a dose of sweetness from honey and maple syrup – this is serious upper Midwest breakfast action. The company also makes versions called, "Red, White and Blueberry" and "Number Two," which is a nut-less cranberry orange granola. I'll have to try those next! Get your Crapola! on, Milwaukee. – Bobby Tanzilo

"Paris, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down," by Rosecrans Baldwin (Picador) – Aspiring novelist Rosecrans Baldwin has long nurtured the dream of living in Paris. So, when a job offer arrives from a French ad agency, Baldwin accepts, bringing his lack of advertising experience, his paltry French and his wife (who apparently possesses even lesser French) to Paris. The magic of living out a dream is challenged by office politics, language struggles, oppressive dinner parties and navigating the ex-pat community and life in France. But, Baldwin doesn't come away loving Paris any less, just differently. The book is a breeze of a read as we follow Baldwin from apartment to office to dinner to parties and back to the office. Along the way we root for him to get his novel-in-progress finished. A great summer read. – Bobby Tanzilo

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